Timber shortage hits Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is grappling with a serious timber shortage that has left the local market heavily reliant on imports from neighbouring countries, particularly South Africa, as deep-rooted challenges continue to hamper domestic production.

The country's commercial timber industry - mainly concentrated in Manicaland - has been hit by a series of compounding issues over the years, including illegal land occupation, frequent forest fires, over-harvesting, and a shortage of locally produced seeds. These factors have drastically reduced the area under plantation, undermining sustainable timber supply and forcing players in the sector to look outside the country to meet growing demand.

Timber Producers Federation chief executive officer, Mr Darlington Duwa, confirmed that some companies have begun importing timber from South Africa as local supply struggles to meet market needs.

"We do not have sufficient timber resources, and capacity utilisation at some mills is between 55 percent and 65 percent," Duwa said in an interview. "Some companies have reduced their rate of cut because there is not enough resource to sustain them in the future. This is what we predicted a long time ago, and it has now come to pass - companies are importing timber."

He attributed the current crisis to events stretching back two decades, pointing to destructive fires, shrinking plantations, and illegal settlements on forestry land. "Some areas are no longer accessible for planting trees. Illegal settlers have occupied land that used to grow commercial timber. We also do not have seeds available locally," Duwa added.

The shortage has led to steep increases in timber prices, severely affecting the construction industry. Contractors and homebuilders are grappling with project delays and cost overruns due to supply bottlenecks. Many have been forced to use alternative — and often more expensive — building materials, which could compromise quality and drive up housing costs.

Despite the strain on domestic supply, Zimbabwe continues to export small quantities of timber to Botswana and South Africa. However, Duwa noted that these exports are limited and less profitable compared to local sales.

In response to the crisis, the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe is ramping up efforts to restore the sector. Acting director-general for research and training, Mr Mduduzi Thembani, said the Commission is prioritising seed production for key species such as pines, which are critical to reforestation efforts.

"To address current shortfalls in seed availability, the Forestry Commission has recently introduced tissue culture technology as a complementary propagation method," Thembani revealed. "While still in the early stages, this approach is expected to ease the shortage of planting material — particularly for species currently in limited supply — in the near future."

Primary seed production facilities at John Meikle Research Station in Stapleford and Muguzo Research Station in Chimanimani are central to this drive, supplying genetically improved seed to both public and private stakeholders.

Although Zimbabwe is not directly importing tree seeds through the Commission, Thembani acknowledged that regional seed sources, especially from South Africa, continue to help the industry bridge temporary supply gaps.

The situation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to revitalise Zimbabwe's timber sector through sustainable forestry management, reforestation, and support for local producers — to reduce import dependence and secure long-term supply.